Only the Beginning
by ditchertypepersonBUM
Summary: ONE SHOT Look at that a G rating. Sarah is finishing off that last loose string she has with her life. What do Toby and Jareth have to say about it though?


Toby looked to the aged woman that lay beside him. At one hundred-three she still managed to look both frail, more so with her age, wise, though not as much without her eyes open, and strong. In one life she had accomplished more than most people could imagine. His publisher had wanted a biography of her life, Sarah had agreed to it only because she trusted him. She had told him everything, the believable and the fantastic, telling him to choose what to tell, what version of the truth to print.  
  
In the year it had taken to question, write, and editing. Sarah had been a part of it every step of the way. Telling without words how proud she was, and pulling no punches with the arguments over publishing rights. Presently the woman no man had ever dominated or conquered was dieing. She had survived so much in her life, and now she was slipping away just as she said she had always wanted to. Peacefully, painlessly, and quietly, they were at his cabin, his woodland retreat, waiting out her final days in the comfortable presence of one another. His last gift to her, the woman who had always been there for him encouraging him to stand or fall by his own decisions, was this work.  
  
His goal was to finish it before she slipped off her mortal coil. All that was left was the dedication, it was as he wrote that he thought of all she had ever done. Helping him through college when his parents hadn't, refusing to pay for a major they saw him having no future in. Letting him have his mistakes, letting him learn through folly, but still guarding him from dangers. Sarah had told him she believed in learning from past mistakes, accepting help but not becoming dependent. It was what she hated most about being old. There was a difference between accepting help, and needing help for things she had always done herself. Looking to his computer he started.  
  
If I had to describe Sarah with only one word there would be many to choose from.  
  
Determined. Never once did she listen when someone told her she couldn't do something. Nothing ever stopped Sarah once she set her mind to accomplish something.  
  
Stubborn. Never once did she back down without being full informed. If Sarah gave her loyalty she stood by that person through thick and thin. It is truly a blessing that she never placed her loyalty where it was not deserved, her instincts for finding the best in people were unmatched by anybody I have ever known.  
  
Caring. Sarah Williams is the single most loving woman I will ever have the honor of knowing. She never once said I could not achieve a goal once I had set it. Though I must admit she taught me to set goals that were attainable.  
  
But if I had to choose just one word it would be this. Passionate. Everything she ever set her mind to doing she did with all her heart and soul. She is one of those souls that that could never be dimmed. Old age has done nothing but prove how determined she is.  
  
Sarah never had it easy. Her mother left her at the age of three; her father never cared for her more than in the materialistic sense. She learned early in life that if she wanted something she had to get it herself. Maybe that was what made people think her spoiled. She'll admit she was never an angel as a child. When her father took a second wife what little attention she had was taken away, then came the birth of her father's second child, and first son. Reduced to something little better than free babysitter and nanny she had to fight for every freedom she had ever known.  
  
It was during one night, a storm raged and so did her temper. Maybe it was the my crying, maybe it was she finally saw past her own pain. But something that night, something that must remain untold to you my readers, happened to her that night. But it allowed her to grow up, take the emotional blows she had been dealt since birth and used them to make her stronger. From that point she took on the world and guarded the one person who gave a damn about her. Her younger half-brother. At eighteen she was cast out of her home after an argument. Disappearing into the night she started her life.  
  
From then she made her money, achieved her fame, and attained the respect she had never had in her youth. This, my readers is a portion of her tail. What goes unsaid is unbelievable an therefore left to your imaginations.  
  
It is her spirit that has brought her as far as she ever went. For me I can only hope I am half the human being she ever was. To her, Sarah Williams, my only sister one constant in my life. I dedicate this to you my dear sister. So that I may give you the immortality of the mortal written word.  
  
"That's beautiful." Turning his head he saw her grayed hair and caring brown eyes. Her eyes could be soft, but also hard. Pinning a man to the spot with one look that left him feeling like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar.  
  
"Only for you Sarah. I do this only for you." He smiled warmly, knowing every laugh line he had was present. He was known for his science fiction stories. He was among the few that knew Sarah for who she was, she was an author as well. To fantasy and historical fiction. Her pen name had been The Raven, a tribute to her favorite poet. This would be the only story of her life written and approved by her, and he was the only one she had ever taken part in.  
  
"Toby, this is my last night." His smile faltered, she had always had a way of stating things like this. He had long since learned not to question her on matters like this, just accept them and do what was needed. "I need you to call him. I've one thing left to do before I can call my life complete." Her voice was steady but he knew her well enough to see the glimmer of apprehension and self conscious fear in her eyes.  
  
"Alright Sarah, but I'm telling you now I don't like this." She smiled softly at him before using her waning energy to sit up she signaled she was ready. "I wish the Goblin King would take you away, right now." He knew the words; Sarah had made it quite clear that they were words he should never say. It was already night so the darkness was complete. When the fireplace lit without warning and the scented candles that Sarah favored began to burn simultaneously, they both looked to the un-aging glory of the Goblin King.  
  
The imposing Fae looked to the both of them with slight shock, curiosity flickering within his duel colored eyes. He was just as Sarah had described him and more. It made him think her all the greater for facing him when she was so young and untried. "I'll leave you to your business." He spoke to his sister; kissing her cheek lovingly he nodded to the King before exiting the room.  
  
In silence she looked at him. She was not ashamed of how she looked. She had lived a long and worthy life and could not bring herself to find need to hide her laugh lines and crows feet. Every gray hair was something she had earned; even as old as she was she knew she looked younger than how one would think. "What is the meaning of this?" His voice was as she remembered it; if she hadn't lacked the hormones she was sure it would have sent a shiver down her spine. Mentally it still did.  
  
"A goodbye Jareth. I have said them all except for mine to you." She smiled at his sudden look over, running her aged face through his mind and mentally making her younger. The moment he figured it out she knew, his eyes flared and his position changed.  
  
"Sarah."  
  
"Yes, me. I wanted to thank you." His eyebrows shot up at her words and she could tell she had interested him. "I want to thank you for helping me finally grow up. I credit much of my life to you."  
  
"You are not the bratty child I remember Sarah." She gestured with her hand for him to take a seat. He surprised her by sitting on the bedding at her side.  
  
"I wasn't a bratty child Jareth." She saw his eyes change, as if he was rethinking how much she had changed. "I was a bitch that was lashing out at the one who had truly never hurt her. After the Labyrinth I took control of my life. Your land taught me a lot about myself, I wanted to thank you for that."  
  
"You're dieing."  
  
"Tonight will be my last sunset, makes me happy that I was awake for the sun rise." In silence she watched him. Part of her had always loved him, her fairy tale king. The prince on a white horse had never been her thing, it was why she had never married, they had always wanted to take care of her, the one thing she had never needed. She had wanted to be cherished, loved for who she was, but never held back.  
  
"You're not afraid."  
  
"I've lived a good life; I don't regret what I've done with it."  
  
"Yet there is still things you want." She gave a true smile; he could read her like only Toby. Maybe more so due to there being no blood between them.  
  
"I'm mortal Jareth, there is always something more."  
  
"I thought many things of you Sarah, but greedy was not one of them, I still don't. You are a strong woman as I knew you would become. What is it you regret?" With that one question she did something she hadn't done in decades. Blush.  
  
"I've never known love Jareth. Other than Toby no man has ever loved me, I sometimes wonder on what I've missed." She saw his shock; beside her were photos of her and her brother over the years. She had not wasted her youth; she just hadn't found the one she could share her life with.  
  
"You've been wished to me."  
  
"I didn't think you would come unless someone was, it's the only reason I've waited. Hoggle couldn't tell me how you would react; you are not always a kind man Jareth, as I'm not always a hard woman. You'd be surprised at what my associates and opponents called me behind my back." She smiled smugly. "I've out lived them, my last ha-rah I suppose." She saw his lips twitch. "So what now? Going to bring me back and make my last hours knowing your vengeance? Or will you leave me to die in piece with my brother?"  
  
"What do you want Sarah?" So many had asked her that, this time she had an answer that wasn't sarcastic.  
  
"A second chance."  
  
"We will fight."  
  
"Nobody's perfect."  
  
"We may hate each other."  
  
"We'll never know unless we try."  
  
"You won't be able to come back."  
  
"I wouldn't be able to anyway." Jareth held his hand out to her. Offering her himself, not her dreams. Who knew if things would work out? But not knowing if they could have been was her only regret, taking his hand she felt her youth returning. Smiling brightly as her hair returned to the dark brown she had loved she stood with his help. Vanishing from her brother's home she knew Toby would understand. He had always understood her when there had been no one else.  
  
He would never see his sister again, but once a month he would receive a letter. Years later, the day before it was his turn to fade from the mortal plain, he received a letter. Telling him of his sister's pregnancy, his sister would have the family she had always wanted. The one she had always deserved  
  
Would you look at that, a one shot, by me. Tell me what you think  
  
~BUM~ 


End file.
